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Illegal use of the cigar Ex-Saints coach banned from casino for three months
Posted: Friday March 31, 2000 08:36 PM
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Mike Ditka has been banned for three months from Harrah's casino for throwing a cigar and cursing a pit boss who issued a ruling which a television station said cost the former New Orleans Saints coach "thousands of dollars" at a craps table. Harrah's would not comment, but a Louisiana State Police spokesman confirmed the March 16 incident occurred. Ditka, who wasn't arrested, did not immediately return a message left on his home telephone. "From what I understand, one of the dice ended up against a pile of chips. This is something that happens normally and then the pit boss had to make a call," Sgt. Bob Hogan of the state police Gaming Division said. "Ditka did not like the call that he made, became enraged and threw a cigar at him," Hogan said. It happened in an area of the casino reserved for heavy betters, WVUE-TV said. The station said Ditka also cursed the pit boss, who wasn't identified, and was escorted from the casino by security officers. "Normally, Harrah's security responds first and, if it's something they can handle, they're usually requested to handle it," Hogan said. "If it gets to a point that somebody has to be arrested or a police presence is needed, then it requires us or the NOPD to take care of it." Ditka was fired as coach of the Saints after a 3-13 record last season. He was hired in February by CBS-TV as an analyst for "The NFL Today."
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